Carton manufacturers often face the challenge of providing a carton having ergonomic handle openings that are sufficiently strong to withstand the stress generated by the weight of articles enclosed. This is particularly so when the handle is integral to the end wall of the carton and when the burst strength of the material comprising the end wall is insufficient to avoid failure of the handle and the end wall itself. One approach to resolving this issue is to construct the carton from a stronger material such as corrugated board or from a sheet of material having a relatively higher strength. As fully enclosed cartons typically have six walls (top, sides, bottom, and ends) that are formed from a single sheet of material, and cost tends to increase according to the strength and thickness of material used to construct the carton walls, this approach introduces extra expense and inefficiencies as it effectively amounts to reinforcing all of the walls of the carton irrespective of the relative magnitude of the forces borne by each wall.
According to another approach, additional material is applied to or around the handle as needed to support its integrity as well as that of the end wall. For instance, a handle aperture in a carton end wall may be reinforced by outlining its edges with an additional layer of sheet material. However, it is often preferable to form a carton from a single sheet of material rather than to attach additional components to a carton or carton blank.
What is needed is a carton that is formed from a single blank, and which provides a reinforced integrated handle opening disposed in an end wall, where the carton walls are efficiently constructed without wasting expensive material in carton walls that are less likely to fail.